Fence-post.



N0. 779,318. PATENTED JAN. 3, 1905.

' J. ROGERS.

FENCE POST.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 16', 1904.

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I un macaw UNITED STATES Patented January 3, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

FENCE POST- SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Paten No. 779,318,dated January 3, 1905.

Application filed January 18, 1904. Serial No. 189,615.

To aZZ whom it puny concern.-

Beitknown that I, J OHN RoeERs,a citizen of the United States, residingat Platteville, in the county of Grant and State of Wisconsin, haveinvented a new and useful Fence-Post, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention relates to improvements in fence-posts.

The object of the present invention is to improvethe construction ofthat class of fenceposts which are constructed of plastic material suchas artificial stone, cement, and the like-and to provide a simple andinexpensive post of this character which will possess great strength anddurability and which will be adapted for supporting fence-Wires and thelike.

A further object of the invention is to enable wooden strips or bars tobe advantageously employed for strengthening artificialstone fence-postsand to arrange the bars or pieces so that they will mutually supporteach other, and thereby form a rigid structure.

WVith these and other objects in view the invention consists in theconstruction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafterfully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointedout in the claims hereto appended, it being understood that variouschanges in the form, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within the scope of the claims may be resorted to without departingfrom the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of a fence-postconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the upper portion of the post, the plastic material being brokenaway to illustrate the arrangement of the wooden bars. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal sectional view.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a post designed particularly for use in fence constructionand having a body portion constructed of plastic material, such ascement, artificial stone, or the like.

The post, which is preferably tapered, as shown, is provided with asolid top portion 2 and a hollow lower portion forming an interiorchamber or space 3, which is tapered toward its upper end and whichextends from the bottom of the post to the upper portion thereof. Thehollow portion may be of any desired size and may be varied to securethe desired strength and lightness. The post is supported and braced bya tapering frame consisting, preferably, of bars 4 of wood embedded inthe plastic material and having their upper ends 5 fitted together toform a solid top. The upper ends 5 of the bars are tapered, as shown,and are exteriorly grooved for the reception of a ring or band 6, ofwire or other suitable material, whereby the bars 4 are held firmlytogether. The bars are preferably constructed of wood, which affords therequisite strength and at the same time is light and inexpensive, and asthe bars are embedded within the plastic body of the post there is noliability of the wood rotting or otherwise deteriorating by reason ofthe post being exposed to the weather and being embedded in the ground.Also the wooden bars enable wire-engaging hooks 7 or other suitablefastening devices to be readily applied to the posts without liabilityof injuring the same. The wire-supporting hooks are provided withthreaded shanks 11, embedded in oneofthe bars 4, as clearly shownin Fig.1.

The post is designed for wire fences, but is applicable to various otherstructures, and the wooden bars are adapted to receive other fasteningdevices. These fastening devices may be applied to the bar before thepost is molded or after such operation. It is preferable in making theposts to mold the body portion thereof, and a bottom cap-piece 8 isapplied to the post. The lower ends 9 of the bars project beyond thatportion of the body which is first molded, and by reason of theprojecting ends 9 the bottom cap-piece may be readily applied to thepost and will be securely held in position. The bottom cap-piece closesthe lower end of the post and prevents moisture from entering theinterior space or chamber 3.

The plastic material is interposed between the upper portions of thebars, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and the upper portion of thepost is preferably solid. Instead, however, of securing the upper endsof the bars together, as illustrated in Fig. 2, they may be separated,and this will be found advantageous in constructing posts of relativelylarge diameters. The bars are preferably tapered,

as shown in Fig.- 3, and have rounded inner and outer faces; but theposts may be of any other desired configuration in cross-section.

Having thus fully described my invention, What I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A post, comprising a plastic body, and a plurality of straight barsextending longitudinally of the body and embedded therein, said barsbeing inclined and having their upper ends fitted together and mutuallysupporting each other, substantially as described,

2. A post, comprising a plastic body, and bars embedded in the body andextending longitudinally thereof, said bars being inclined and havingtheir upper ends fitted together to form a tapering frame, and a bandsecuring the upper ends of the bars together, substantially asdescribed.

3. A post, comprising a plastic body having a solid upper portion, and aholloW loWer portion, bars embedded in the body and connected at one endof the same and projecting beyond the other end thereof, and a separatecap of plastic material receiving the projecting ends of the bars andapplied to the adjacent end of the body, substantially as described.

4. A tapered post, comprising a body having a solid top portion, aholloW lower portion, bars embedded in the body and projecting beyondthe lower portion thereof, and having their upper ends fitted together,a band encircling the upper ends of the bars, and a plastic cap appliedto the bottom of the post and having the adjacent ends of the barsembedded in it, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN ROGERS.

WVitnesses:

GEO. A. KINesLnY, ALFRED T. ROGERS.

